


The Interloper

by Ceredwen



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Community: help_haiti, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-08
Updated: 2010-05-08
Packaged: 2017-10-09 08:51:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/85316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceredwen/pseuds/Ceredwen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sirius is jealous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Interloper

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Werewolfsfan](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Werewolfsfan).



> Written for help_haiti. Thanks to whitmans_kiss for the beta.

It was no unusual thing, Sirius had learned, for little boys to come home with bits and bobs of the world around them for either Remus or himself to explain. Most of the time it was interesting rocks or a stick that Harry deemed particularly noteworthy, but there was that time they’d had to explain where baby birds come from and why they don’t stay safe in their nests. Burying the little thing that day had been a solemn affair that had eventually led to other questions about where things go when they die, which led of course to questions about James and Lily.

Thankfully, today is not that day.

Sirius himself had not been afforded the luxury of such explorations as Harry was. His youth had been tightly regimented between many tutors and responsibilities no child was equipped to assume. Remus and he had taken care to ensure that despite the losses and the danger, Harry would have as normal a childhood as possible. In his mind Sirius wants to add, ‘as any child with two fathers can,’ but after living with Remus this long, he has learned to let some of that go.

‘_He’s being brought up in love_,’ Remus says to him. ‘_We love each other, and we love him. James and Lily are proud and pleased wherever they are._’

And if you hear something enough, even something positive, it will after a time write over previous messages, even if they were negative.

So, no, today is not the day of empty snail shells or tiny desiccated lizard remains, nor is it the day for frightened, fluttering grasshoppers, valiantly vying for freedom trapped inside a grubby palm. No, this is the day of _him_.

Sirius has no idea where Harry picked the little criminal offender up. His godson looks up at him from below Sirius’ kneecaps, those big green eyes wide and innocent. In his arms, squirming and licking and making pathetically obvious soft puppy whimpering sounds, is a beast that wields cute like a scimitar. Sirius is not fooled.

He is, after all, a man who can turn into a dog, and therefore has an insiders view of what this little hustler is after. He wants to sponge a few scratches behind the ears (Padfoot’s scratches behind the ears ), a bit of stick throwing (Padfoot’s stick throwing), the Brussels sprouts Remus thinks Harry eats (Padfoot’s, oh you get the idea).

“He followed me home,” says Harry.

_I’ll just bet he did_, thinks Sirius. He opens his mouth to speak, but a voice behind him beats him to it.

“Oh, look at that,” says Remus. He steps forward, bending down in front of Harry, and pets the puppy.

_Traitor!_ thinks Sirius.

“He doesn’t seem to have a collar. Would you like to keep him, Harry?”

Sirius makes an indignant noise. Remus turns to look at him, and then smirks.

“Yes, can I please?” says Harry excitedly. “I’m going to name him… Snuffles! Snuffles after Padfoot, because Padfoot is my favorite dog and Snuffles and Padfoot can play together and be my two favorite dogs in the world.”

Remus rises and speaks softly in Sirius’ ear. “You hear that, Padfoot? No one could ever take your place.”


End file.
